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December 13, 2014Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr    Reading 1 Sir 48:1-4, 9-11 In those days,like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijahwhose words were as a flaming furnace.Their staff of bread he shattered,in his zeal he reduced them to straits;By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavensand three times brought down fire.How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!Whose glory is equal to yours?You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,in a chariot with fiery horses.You were destined, it is written, in time to cometo put an end to wrath before the day...

December 11, 2014Thursday of the Second Week of Advent    Reading 1 Is 41:13-20 I am the LORD, your God,who grasp your right hand;It is I who say to you, “Fear not,I will help you.”Fear not, O worm Jacob,O maggot Israel;I will help you, says the LORD;your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.I will make of you a threshing sledge,sharp, new, and double-edged,To thresh the mountains and crush them,to make the hills like chaff.When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them offand the storm shall scatter them.But you shall rejoice in the LORD,and glory in the Holy...

St. Juan Diego: Ordinary Son of Mary Daniel StewartJuan Diego was born in 1474 in a place called Cuautitlán. Once a part of the Aztec Empire, Cuautitlán was conquered by the Spanish and is now in present day Mexico City. Born before the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, Juan Diego was an indigenous Mexican who was given the name Cuauhtlatoatzin at birth. When Franciscan missionaries arrived, Cuauhtlatoatzin and his wife were some of the first indigenous people to convert. At baptism, they were given the names Juan Diego and Maria Lucia. Juan Diego was not a slave but...

December 9, 2014Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent    Reading 1 Is 40:1-11 Comfort, give comfort to my people,says your God.Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to herthat her service is at an end,her guilt is expiated;Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORDdouble for all her sins. A voice cries out:In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!Every valley shall be filled in,every mountain and hill shall be made low;The rugged land shall be made a plain,the rough country, a broad valley.Then the glory of...

December 6, 2014Saturday of the First Week of Advent    Reading 1 Is 30:19-21, 23-26 Thus says the Lord GOD,the Holy One of Israel:O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,no more will you weep;He will be gracious to you when you cry out,as soon as he hears he will answer you.The Lord will give you the bread you needand the water for which you thirst.No longer will your Teacher hide himself,but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:“This is the way; walk in it,”when you would turn...

SAINT JOSEPH AND LIVING OUT ADVENT   Saint Joseph, pray for us  Saint Joseph can help us to live a most fruitful Advent, and for many reasons. Let us quietly meditate upon five extraordinary virtues of this greatest of all saints so that we can live a most fervent Advent season and allow Jesus to be born in the depths of our hearts this Christmas!  Silence lead to prayer  1.    SILENCE. Not once in the Bible do we hear a word from the great Saint Joseph. This silence of Saint Joseph is very eloquent. It teaches us a fundamental...

December 4, 2014Thursday of the First Week of Advent    Reading 1 Is 26:1-6 On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah: “A strong city have we;he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.Open up the gatesto let in a nation that is just,one that keeps faith.A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;in peace, for its trust in you.” Trust in the LORD forever!For the LORD is an eternal Rock.He humbles those in high places,and the lofty city he brings down;He tumbles it to the ground,levels it with the dust.It is...

December 3, 2014Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest    Reading 1 Is 25:6-10a On this mountain the LORD of hostswill provide for all peoplesA feast of rich food and choice wines,juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.On this mountain he will destroythe veil that veils all peoples,The web that is woven over all nations;he will destroy death forever.The Lord GOD will wipe awaythe tears from all faces;The reproach of his people he will removefrom the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said:“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!This is...

New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson, whose Facebook post on the Ferguson riots went viral last week, appeared on CNN to discuss his feelings about the rioting and the Michael Brown shooting. Watson spoke with CNN’s Brooke Baldwin on Friday and read parts of his emotional Facebook post during the interview. “Sometimes I feel like it’s us against them. Sometimes I feel like I’m just as prejudiced as the people I point fingers at and that’s not right,” he read. “How can I look at white skin and make assumptions and not want assumptions made about me? That’s not...

New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson stirs the Facebook faithful with thoughtful and moving post on tumult surrounding the Michael Brown-Officer Darren Wilson case and Ferguson. #Ferguson Fox News: On the Record with Greta Van Susteren

While Saints tight end Benjamin Watson may not always be the spotlight during a football game, his presence is well known -- even more so after the tight end took to social media to weigh in on the conflict happening in Ferguson, Missouri. Watson, 33, wrote a passionate post following Monday night's prime-time game against the Baltimore Ravens about the emotions he is feeling in light of the St. Louis County grand jury's decision to not indict Officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown. "At some point while I was playing or preparing to play Monday Night Football,...

November 25, 2014Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Rv 14:14-19 I, John, looked and there was a white cloud,and sitting on the cloud one who looked like a son of man,with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.Another angel came out of the temple,crying out in a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud,“Use your sickle and reap the harvest,for the time to reap has come,because the earth’s harvest is fully ripe.”So the one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth,and...

Sports fans can be idiots. This is nothing new but they continue to go where no fan has gone before. Take Tony Williams, for example. He intercepted a pass on Sunday at the Superdome (or whatever it’s called now) in New Orleans during the Saints game with the Cincinnati Bengals. Tony doesn’t play for the Saints or the Bengals. He’s a 70-year old Saints fan who intercepted a pass intended for a Bengals fan who was sitting next to him in the end zone seats. She (that’s right, SHE) was wearing a Bengals jersey. Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham scored...

November 22, 2014Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr   Reading 1 Rv 11:4-12 I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me:Here are my two witnesses:These are the two olive trees and the two lampstandsthat stand before the Lord of the earth.If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouthsand devours their enemies.In this way, anyone wanting to harm them is sure to be slain.They have the power to close up the skyso that no rain can fall during the time of their prophesying.They also have power to turn water into bloodand to afflict...

November 18, 2014Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Rv 3:1-6, 14-22 I, John, heard the Lord saying to me:“To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this: “‘The one who has the seven spirits of Godand the seven stars says this: “I know your works,that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die,for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent.If you are not...

November 17, 2014Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious    Reading 1 Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him,to show his servants what must happen soon.He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,who gives witness to the word of Godand to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw.Blessed is the one who reads aloudand blessed are those who listen to this prophetic messageand heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near. John, to the seven churches in Asia: grace to you and...

What can be said about a New Orleans Saints fan elbowing a young woman in the face, outmuscling her, and ripping a souvenir football from her?

November 15, 2014Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 3 Jn 5-8 Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers and sisters,especially for strangers;they have testified to your love before the Church.Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey.For they have set out for the sake of the Nameand are accepting nothing from the pagans.Therefore, we ought to support such persons,so that we may be co-workers in the truth. Responsorial Psalm Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.or:R. Alleluia.Blessed the man who...

November 13, 2014Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin    Reading 1 Phlm 7-20 Beloved:I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love,because the hearts of the holy oneshave been refreshed by you, brother.Therefore, although I have the full right in Christto order you to do what is proper,I rather urge you out of love,being as I am, Paul, an old man,and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus,whose father I have become in my imprisonment,who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me.I...

November 12, 2014Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr    Reading 1 Ti 3:1-7 Beloved:Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities,to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise.They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate,exercising all graciousness toward everyone.For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded,slaves to various desires and pleasures,living in malice and envy,hateful ourselves and hating one another. But when the kindness and generous loveof God our savior appeared,not because of any righteous deeds we had donebut because of his mercy,he saved us through the bath of rebirthand renewal...